1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to passage barriers with automatically swivelling barrier elements.
2. Discussion
Passage barriers of the said kind are known in the most varied embodiments and serve to optionally permit or block the passage of a person or the passage of a vehicle. In a simple construction, they may be designed as a revolving door with two barrier elements arranged opposite each other and mutually aligned, each of which is firmly attached to a common shaft extending vertically between the barrier elements and which can be driven by a motor. By driving the shaft, both barrier elements can be swivelled together around the shaft. If the two barrier elements secure different passageways, it may be desirable to swivel the barrier elements independent of each other, for instance if one passageway should be opened, while the other should remain blocked. In order to enable separate swivelling of both barrier elements, two shafts may be provided each of which can be driven by a motor and on each of which one barrier element is retained. By driving the first shaft, one of the barrier elements, and by driving the second shaft, the other barrier element can be swivelled. Problematic with this solution, however, is the fact that it takes up a relatively large amount of space and material, which is explained in more detail in the following with reference to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4.
FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram and shows a known passage barrier 50 in a top view. The passage barrier 50 comprises two passageways 52 and 54, which are essentially defined by partition walls 56, 58, 60 and 62. For optional opening or blocking the passageways 52 and 54, barrier elements 64 and 66 are provided which may be designed for instance as doors or the like. For swivelling the barrier elements 64 and 66 in the direction of the arrows 68 and 70, they are firmly retained on one of two juxtaposed shafts 72, 74, whereby the shafts 72 and 74 can be driven by corresponding motors 76 and 78. Due to the fact that the arrangement comprising the barrier element 64, the shaft 72 and the motor 78 are juxtaposed, the passage barrier 50 shown in FIG. 2, however, takes up a lot of space, which is disadvantageous, in particular when only a small amount of space is available.
FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing another known passage barrier 80 in a top view. Similar to the passage barrier 50 shown in FIG. 2, passage barrier 80 has two passageways 82 and 84, which are essentially defined by partition walls 86 to 92. For optional opening or blocking the passageways 82 and 84, barrier elements 94 and 96 are provided, which can be swivelled in the direction of the arrows 106 and 108 around shafts 98 and 100, respectively, which can be driven by motors 102 and 104. In order to reduce the width of passage barrier 80 in comparison with passage barrier 50 shown in FIG. 2, the arrangement comprising the passage barrier 94, the shaft 98, and the motor 102, and the arrangement comprising the barrier element 96, the shaft 100, and the motor 104 are positioned one behind the other, so that the barrier elements 94 and 96 are arranged staggered in relation to one another. One disadvantage of this design is that due to the staggered barrier elements 94 and 96, the symmetric appearance of the passage barrier 80 is adversely affected. Another disadvantage occurs when several of the passage barriers 80 shown in FIG. 3 are arranged immediately juxtaposed, as is shown in FIG. 4.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a passage barrier 110 in a top view. The passage barrier 110 comprises a multitude of similarly constructed units 112 marked by the dashed line in FIG. 3, consisting of the partition walls 88 and 90, the barrier elements 94 and 96, the shafts 98 and 100, and the motors 102 and 104, which are juxtaposed; in FIG. 4, however, only three of these units are shown. Other units 112 are intimated by the dots marked with the reference numeral 114. Two adjacent units 112 each form a passageway 116, which is optionally blocked or released by the barrier elements 94 and 96. An essential disadvantage of the shown passage barrier 110 is that due to the structurally alike units 112, barrier elements 94 and 96 pointing to each other are staggered in relation to each other, since each of the arrangement consisting of the barrier element 94, the shaft 98 and the motor 102, and the arrangement consisting of the barrier element 96, the shaft 100 and the motor 104 are provided one behind the other. Due to these barrier elements 94 and 96 which are staggered in relation to each other, a gap is created through which, even in blocked position of the barrier elements 94 and 96, a person can pass the passage barrier 110, which is intimated by the arrows 118.
It is the main objective of the present invention to create an improved passage barrier of the kind mentioned above.
The passage barrier according to the present invention comprises two barrier elements and two separate shafts which are mutually aligned and can be driven by separate motors. One barrier element, for instance with one or more fixed bearings, is retained on each shaft and can be swivelled independent of the other barrier element by driving the appropriate shaft. The shafts can have a profiled, for instance angular, cross-section or a profiled outside contour, respectively. Rotationally symmetric shafts are preferably used, since these facilitate the accommodation. The shafts are preferably hollow shafts, in which lines not visible from outside, in particular electric power and/or control lines, can be arranged.
The essential advantage of the passage barrier according to the invention is that a lot of space is saved due to the mutually aligned shafts. The passage barrier obtains a very compact and functional structure.
The mutually aligned shafts can be separated from each other by at least one bearing. The bearing is advantageous in that it imparts greater stability to the shafts.
Preferably, each barrier element is retained on one shaft by at least one fixed bearing and on the other shaft by at least one movable bearing. The respective fixed bearing serves to create a firm connection between the barrier element and the driving shaft, so that the barrier element follows the rotational motion of the shaft. The movable bearing serves to retain the barrier element also on the respective other shaft, which is not the driving shaft, whereby, however, the rotational motion of the other shaft is not transmitted to the respective barrier element. In this manner, an even more stable structure of the passage barrier is achieved.
The motors driving the shafts can be alternating current motors, whereby a gear may be provided between the motors and the respective shafts, as for instance a reduction gear, in order to reduce a high motor speed and to multiply a low driving torque of the motor. Preferably, however, direct current motors are used, since these have in particular a good transient behaviour and are very well controllable. In addition, direct current motors can be adjusted without any problem to the various power supply mains of different countries. Advantageously, a servo controller is assigned to each direct current motor, by which the motor speed can be controlled precisely. Also the torque, and therefore the power applied to the barrier element to be swivelled, can be adjusted precisely by means of the servo controller. Speed and torque used to swivel the barrier elements can correspondingly be adjusted as required. According to a preferred design of the passage barrier according to the invention, the latter comprises at least one partition wall which is provided between the barrier elements and defines passage areas. The at least one partition wall is advantageously firmly connected with the bearing and/or with at least one movable bearing, thereby stabilising the partition wall.